Aquatic Health and Ecotoxicology
Jenessa Gjeltema, DVM, Dipl. ACZM
Research Focus: Effects of anthropogenic litter (plastic) pollution on animal, human, and ecosystem health. Application, evaluation, and validation of clinical diagnostics and therapeutics in zoological species.
Affiliated departments: UC Davis One Health Institute, Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, and Department of Medicine and Epidemiology
As Assistant Professor of Zoological Medicine and Head Veterinarian at the Sacramento Zoo, Dr. Jenessa Gjeltema, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, a board-certified specialist in Zoological MedicineTM, provides both clinical veterinary service and engages in research in the field of Zoological/Wildlife Medicine.
Possible student research projects include:
- Development, evaluation, and validation of research techniques for the study of environmental microplastic contamination
- Investigation of the health effects of plastic pollution in animals and ecosystems
- Application, evaluation, and validation of clinical diagnostics or therapeutics in zoological species
- Other clinical research in the field of Zoological Medicine
To contact Dr. Gjeltema - jgjeltema@ucdavis.edu
Tien-Chieh Hung, BS, MS, PhD
Director, Fish Conservation and Culture Lab, Discovery Bay, CA
Prof. Hung works in the area of aquacultural engineering including computational fluid dynamics, biomimetic particle filtration system design, recirculating culture system design, cultural technique development, and fish behavior. He has been working with the endangered Delta Smelt since 2008 and is Director of the Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory and manages the refuge population of the Delta Smelt. His current study is focusing on the behavior of Delta Smelt at various environment, culture technique improvement, fish marking, and the effect of domestication on the captive fish. In addition, Dr. Hung also has four year’s working experience as an R&D in a chemical pesticide company responsible for the formula and formulation design.
For more information, please visit http://fccl.ucdavis.edu or http://faculty.engineering.ucdavis.edu/hung
Prof. Hung can be reached at thung@ucdavis.edu
Swee Teh, Ph.D.
Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology (see also: pathology, pharmacology/toxicology and reproductive biology)
Independent research in the fields of developmental biology, nutrition, pathology, and ecotoxicology. Special emphasis on adverse effects of environmental endocrine disruptors and other contaminants in the embryonic development, growth, and reproduction of invertebrates, fish and shellfish populations. Development of biomarkers of exposure and deleterious effects in aquatic organisms. Development of a screening assay for endocrine disrupting chemicals utilizing microarray technology.
Research will include:
1. The culture of native (salmon, delta smelt, and splittail) and surrogate (Medaka) fish models for use in carcinogens, endocrine disruptors and toxicants testing;
2. Design QA/QC & safety protocols for animal care & exposure experiment. Acute and chronic toxicity testing of contaminants and toxicants using native and non-native fish;
3. The long-term, sublethal growth and reproductive effects of fish exposed to contaminant-laden diets (metals, and organic chemicals including endocrine disruptors and pesticides);
4. Development and use of biochemical, molecular, and histopathologic indicators (biomarkers) of exposure to determine the sublethal deleterious effects of environmental pollutants on fish and aquatic invertebrate populations;
5. Development and the application of toxicogenomics in aquatic toxicology testing;
6. Effects of toxicants on quality and quantity of food chain organisms and resultant consequences on the higher trophic organisms.
7. Integrate growth, biochemical, molecular, histopathologic, and reproductive indicators into an individual and population health effects and extrapolation of population level effects to ecosystem health effects.
Active Projects:
1. Groundwater ambient monitoring and assessment program - Hexavalent chromium and endocrine disrupting chemicals.
2. Using a Sensitive Japanese Medaka (Oryzias Latipes) Fish Model for Endocrine Disruptors Screening.
3. Histopathological examinations of larval and juvenile pelagic fish.
4. Biomass and Toxicity of a Newly Established Bloom of the Cyanobacteria Microcystis Aeruginosa and its Potential Impact on Beneficial Use in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Dr. Teh can be reached via email at sjteh@ucdavis.edu.
Michael Ziccardi, DVM, MPVM, PhD
VM: Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center and VM: Medicine & Epidemiology
(See also: Epidemiology, Wildlife/Exotic Animal Medicine/Zoonoses)
Dr. Michael Ziccardi DVM MPVM PhD is Executive Director of the One Health Institute, and Director of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) and California Veterinary Emergency Team (CVET). His work focuses on global oiled wildlife preparedness, response, and research as well as statewide domestic animal and livestock disaster response. Ziccard's clinical and research areas of expertise are in free-ranging wildlife health, with an emphasis on epidemiology. His current research focus is on the effects of petroleum on marine species.
Please email Dr. Ziccardi for more information at: mhziccardi@ucdavis.edu.